1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to systems and methods of providing, hosting, conducting and/or modifying wagering games. In particular, the invention relates to systems and methods for providing, hosting and/or conducting a modified Blackjack game with an associated wagering game using randomly generated Blackjack outcomes, among other things.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many card games have been developed over the years and some are particularly adapted for gambling. Typically, such games include a dealer who deals cards and one or more players who place wagers on whether an outcome will be achieved based on the cards that the dealer deals. One example in this regard is Blackjack which is also known as Twenty-One.
The objective of Blackjack is for a wagering player to finish a round of play with a hand of playing cards with a sum of the total value of cards coming as close as possible to the value of twenty-one, without the player hand total exceeding twenty-one. The game is played by one or more players against a dealer with the player making an initial wager on a final outcome under the rules of blackjack, which remain fairly consistent throughout the world, and with only minor variations in different casinos or jurisdictions. Players' hands that are less than or equal to twenty-one, and exceed the value of the dealer's hand wins. All players' hands that have a lower sum than the dealer's hand and all hands that exceed the sum of twenty-one lose. Dealer and Player hands with the same total value (without the player first busting, result in ties (called a “push”). An initial two-card hand totaling twenty-one points is called blackjack, and in the absence of the dealer having a similar hand, automatically wins, without respect to the dealer's hand final; count and is often paid at odds greater than 1:1.
One conventional method of playing Blackjack uses one or more standard decks of playing cards (a fifty-two card deck without jokers). Each numbered card is counted according to its face value. The Jacks, Queens and Kings are worth ten (10), and Aces are worth either one (1) or eleven (11), depending on which is most beneficial to the count of the hand. A “ten” card therefore hereinafter includes any card which has a value of ten in the game of Blackjack, that is, a numbered 10 card, Jacks, Queens and Kings. The game begins by dealing two cards to each position where a player has made a wager. The dealer or house is also dealt two cards, usually with one card face up or otherwise exposed to view.
A player views an initial value of cards in the player's hand, views the dealer's up-card (the exposed card) and then makes decisions on drawing or not drawing further playing cards. This further drawing is done in an attempt to try and win the hand by having a higher count than the dealer's hand without busting, or allowing the dealer to bust the house hand. The player can “stand” on any count of twenty-one or less. Once the player exceeds a count of twenty-one or “busts,” the player wager is lost, whatever the ultimate point count of the dealer's hand. Usually, the dealer must hit when with a point count of less than seventeen. Normally a dealer must stand on a soft count of at least seventeen, a soft count being a hand value where an Ace is counted as a value of eleven. House rules may vary, however. If a player or dealer receives 21 on their initial hand, such as an Ace and a Ten or Ace and a Jack, this is referred to as a “natural” Blackjack. If a player receives a natural Blackjack as their initial hand, then the player will win the game although some versions of the rules provide that the dealer ties the player if the dealer also has a natural Blackjack. If the dealer receives a natural Blackjack, then all players will lose unless the rules allow a player who has a natural Blackjack as well to win or tie.
Although the game of Blackjack is a consistent winning game for the house, players tend to place the minimum wager on a blackjack game unless the player is using some system or feels that the cards are running in a favorable streak. While Blackjack is a very popular game, many new games which are quickly rising in popularity provide numerous wagering opportunities, thus increasing player participation and excitement. Consequently, further variations of existing wagering games are always of interest to players and casinos, and therefore, there is a desire for methods which would increase wagering in the game of Blackjack.